NBC Universal Media
When Community was finally canceled by NBC, it was really just the wrap-up of a death march that has been playing out in slow motion for years. Actually, it could be argued that the fact that Dan Harmon's quirky ensemble sitcom set at a community college managed to make it as long as it did on a network is a victory in and of itself.
Network television has always had difficulty knowing what to do with smart, off-beat comedies, whether it was Taxi in the late '70s, NewsRadio in the '90s, Arrested Development in the 2000s, or Happy Endings this decade. Shows that need time to build an audience as more people get in on the joke perplex executives that are looking at ratings and ad revenue that don't add up. The fact that Community had a stellar cast headlined by Joel McHale, featured some of the most original writing on television and regularly took chances by embracing its uniqueness (and, yes, stunts like making an animated episode or setting a storyline against the backdrop of a pillow fort war) gets lost in the shuffle of bottom line numbers.
The thing is that you would expect that networks would've learned their lessons by now… since their counterparts on the cable side have been trying to show them the way for a while now.
Social Media Is Your Friend
Sitcoms like Workaholics on Comedy Central and The League on FXX, have loyal followings that their broadcasters try to cater to instead of alienate. They make the group that is in on the show's humor feel like they're part of a cool club. Counterparts like Louie on FX and Maron and Portlandia on IFC do the same thing and are also savvy about using social media to promote the shows. Instead of just sending out generic "Hey, watch our show" messages, as the networks regularly do, they utilize and encourage the online followings that their stars walked in the door with.
NBC has used their website effectively for a decade now to provide additional content for some of its comedy programming — The Office, Saturday Night Live, and even Community come to mind — but all of the networks continuously lag behind in embracing other new avenues to reach desirable audience members as they start to carry real cache, like Twitter and Instagram. With Facebook having been part of the public's consciousness for nearly a decade now, there's been plenty of time for network executives to become forward thinking in regards to social media, instead of continuously being reactionary.
Have Realistic Expectations
Nobody is expecting a network to have the flexibility that HBO has when it comes to the sort of content that they can handle on everything from Veep to Girls to Eastbound and Down… but networks have more flexibility than they are willing to admit. A sitcom doesn't have to have swearing or nudity to be buzz-worthy… it just needs to be done well by people that are given the freedom to enact their vision.
In today's fractured market, cultivating a TV show that has a smaller but desirable audience should be a true option for any network. By keeping production costs down and cultivating a specific audience base before the show hits the air, a network should be able to get away with smaller ratings for a sitcom. Ratings only truly matter when it comes to setting ad rates, but that's a model that hasn't changed much since Nielsen started tracking it in the early '60s… and it's a system that is ripe for change.
Targeted TV ads are the wave of the future, but selling broader based ads for a show that is reaching a key demographic isn't that hard. NBC already off-sets the cost of The Biggest Loser by partnering with advertisers that want to reach women 18 to 34 with disposable income are willing to pay to be a part of the show. Smart comedies have their own key demo, and it's typically affluent 18 to 34-year-olds. It seems like a target audience that a lot of advertisers could use.
Remember Seinfeld
One of the biggest hits of the last 25 years should provide all of the incentive any network needs to remember the importance of cultivating a show that is initially too hip for the audience. When Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's show first started, it didn't have a suitable spot on the NBC schedule and bounced around. It wasn't until Seinfeld's third season that it really began to catch on with a bigger audience, and it wasn't until the fourth season that it was really a hit.
Seinfeld also produced shorter seasons its first two years, something that cable networks have now been doing successfully for a while now (and British television has always done). Networks have seemingly been more flexible with doing that with hour-long programming than with sitcoms, yet there's no reason that a 13-episode comedy can't work just as well if marketed properly. If networks can figure out a way to sell an audience on fantasy shows like Once Upon a Time or intricate dramas like The Blacklist, they should be able to figure out how to sustain smart comedies like Community and Happy Endings.
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CBS Broadcasting
Not every show can go out on a good note. Sure, some shows like Breaking Bad come up with a conclusion that feels right and true to most fans. But usually, when a show has been on the air for a while, finding a tidy way to wrap things up can be a chore.
Even if it's been planned out since the beginning, as was the case with the series finale of How I Met Your Mother, it's hard to make people who have invested time in the characters feel like they've said goodbye in a satisfying way. While the fury swells over the HIMYM's controversial ending, it's helpful to distract ourselves with other epic finale fails Ted and his stupid blue French horn are up against.
The Sopranos
It's like the start of a joke… Tony Soprano walks into a diner.
That's how David Chase sets up the finale of his landmark HBO series. The Mafia boss made famous by the late James Gandolfini rifles through a jukebox at his table and picks out Journey's "Don’t Stop Believing." His wife Carmela (Edie Falco) joins him, soon followed by his son A.J. (Robert Iler). The diner is full. A guy in a hat sits at a nearby booth and may have eyed Tony when he was alone. Another guy in a Members Only jacket enters right before A.J. and seems kind of twitchy. Another pair of guys lingers near the counter. Tony's daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) is late because she can't parallel park. The jacket guy walks past the Soprano's table and goes into the bathroom. Meadow, finally out of the car, walks towards the door of the diner. She reaches out to open it, the bell rings above the door and… nothing. Cut to a black screen.
Millions of Americans reached for their remote, sure that their TV sets had just completely screwed them over and were poised to call their cable company... when suddenly the credits started to roll. The shock that the series ended with a cut to black set fans howling and looking for answers. Did we go black because a bullet just went through Tony's head? Did the bell mean something? Were the potential threats in the diner just a part of Tony's normal paranoia? What the heck does any of it mean? Chase has steadfastly refused to provide much in the way of explanation, leaving a large section of the fan base furious over the ambiguity.
Seinfeld
The show about nothing decided to make the end about something. That's a problem. With Larry David back to write the final episode of the show that he created with his friend Jerry Seinfeld, the group is about to have some good fortune. The show-within-a-show created by Jerry and George (Jason Alexander) finds new life and the duo, along with Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Kramer (Michael Richards), are jetting off to Paris to celebrate in a private jet courtesy of NBC. But, some mechanical issues ground them and while they wait, they stand around making jokey comments about a car-jacking that they're witnessing. Next thing you know, we're in a court room with every ancillary character in the history of the show, each with his or her own story of how horrible Jerry and his friends are. The foursome is led to a single jail cell after being convicted under a Good Samaritan law and, essentially, starts having a conversation the same as they would at Monk's or Jerry's apartment.
As the credits role, Jerry, dressed in prison orange, performs a stand-up routine for the other inmates. The finale was bloated, lazy, and worst of all, not funny… with jokes falling flat left and right. Apparently most of the humor was supposed to come from the audience seeing the Soup Nazi or Newman one last time. For a show that had delivered consistent laughs throughout its entire run, not remaining true to the style of humor that had made it a cultural phenomenon was the ultimate sin.
St. Elsewhere
The critically acclaimed '80s medical drama had a very loyal fan base that kept it on the air. It's hard to remember but the Boston-based show was the career launching pad for a number of actors, Denzel Washington and Mark Harmon chief amongst them, and was a major influence on later hospital series like ER and Grey's Anatomy. In the finale, a bearded Howie Mandel leaves after finishing his residency and David Morse's soulful Dr. Morrison collects his young son to depart as well. As the show's moral center Dr. Westphal (Ed Flanders) returns to his office, his autistic son (Chad Allen) stares out the window at the falling snow.
Cut to: Westphal now dressed as a construction worker entering an apartment where his son is on the floor staring at a snow globe. What's inside the globe? A replica of St. Eligius Hospital, or St. Elsewhere, as it's more commonly called. So, the whole show was just something that played out in the mind of an autistic boy? Is that it? Really? The whole "it was all fake" ending worked exactly once with the brilliant final reveal on Newhart, but that's it.
Dexter
The closet serial killer played by Michael C. Hall is getting out of the game. With his girlfriend Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) and son Harrison (Evan and Luke Kruntchev) in tow, he's going to skip out to Argentina and lead a more peaceful life... then a criminal shoots Dex's sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). Even though she seems fine, she suddenly lapses into a coma after a massive stroke. Dexter kind of matter-of-factly kills Saxon while he's in police custody, sends Hannah and Harrison off to Buenos Aires, and then takes Deb off life support. He steals her body and dumps it into the sea, before faking his own death. Except when we see Hannah and Harrison way down south, Dexter isn't with them and Hannah is reading a news story about his presumed watery demise.
We hear Dexter in a voice-over explaining how hard it is to be him. So, where is he? Well, why don't we let every fan of the Showtime hit take over from here: "A lumberjack?! He's a f**king lumberjack?! What do you mean he's a f**king lumberjack?!" Before that final scream-inducing reveal — seriously, how many TV sets were broken when remotes went sailing into them immediately after the shot of bearded Dexter? — the episode was pretty lifeless, moving from point A to B to C in a paint-by-numbers kind of way.
Roseanne
Just like with Seinfeld, the ending to Roseanne Barr's long-running sitcom felt like a cheat. Really it was a case where the show probably should've ended a couple of seasons before it actually did. The final season was an unmitigated disaster as the Connors won the lottery and the entire premise of the show changed, becoming a distorted rumination on the meaning of life. In the final episode, we see the cast of the show gathered around the kitchen table eating, laughing, and joking. Then a voice-over from Rosanne tells us that what we've been watching was a figment of her imagination. She's changed things from real life as she's written, including having Dan survive the heart attack that actually killed him two years prior. Worse, she calls into question what parts of the show going back before the heart attack were real (what do you mean David is really Becky's boyfriend?). Considering that the show became a ratings juggernaut with its funny portrayal of the real issues that face lower-middle class Americans, being told that it was just the main character's alternate reality was a slap in the face. And, while it's fine for a finale to be packed with emotion — plenty of fans cried at the end of M*A*S*H and The Mary Tyler Moore Show — the final shot of Roseanne sitting alone on her couch was unnecessarily depressing.
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Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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Actress Angie Harmon is convinced a Baywatch revamp would be a ratings winner after witnessing the success of the new Dallas series.
The Law &amp; Order star, who played detective Ryan McBride in the beach drama and its spin-off Baywatch Nights, has echoed her former co-star David Hasselhoff's call to launch an update of the show.
She tells the New York Daily News, "Look at Dallas now - with the whole younger generation it has worked. That would be genius, amazing... all these hot young people running around on the beach and saving lives.
"David was always in great shape. It is so funny, back then he had a huge trailer and all the weights, which were air-pressurised. He is so self-deprecating he would be hilarious. He totally should do it."
The Dallas revamp won over audiences in 2012 after relaunching with original favourites Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy and the late Larry Hagman alongside younger stars including Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe.
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Engagements. Divorces. Break-ups. Cheating scandals. Three-breasted women. Let's face it — we've seen a lot this year. So much, in fact, that it's hard to believe less than 12 months have passed between news that Taylor Swift would write songs about Jake Gyllenhaal and the news that Taylor Swift had written songs about Jake Gyllenhaal.
So what else has 2012 packed into its already jam-packed year? To take a trip down memory lane, we've handpicked some of our favorite Hollywood.com stories written about some of our favorite pop culture topics of the year. Read and enjoy below! Sniff. Pop culture grows up so fast.
Uggie, Hollywood's Most Famous Dog, Spills the Dirt on His Co-Stars — VIDEOThe Academy Awards' other break-out (it's not all about you, Angie's leg), Uggie, visited Lindsey DiMattina in Hollywood.com's offices to talk about his memoir, Uggie: My Story, and his ruff rough life alongside stars like Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon.
Brad and Angelina's Engagement Lets Gay Americans Down: Brian Moylan on why the biggest engagement of the year may also be the biggest disappointment.
Colton Dixon: 'I'm Honored' to Be the Tim Tebow of 'Idol': Lindsey DiMattina's interview with the seventh place Idol finisher proved Colton Dixon knows his power within the Christian community. Hopefully he does better than the Jets.
15 Villains We Like Better Than Heroes: As Loki entered our lexicon upping The Avengers' record-breaking arrival, Shaunna Murphy explored comics' nuanced and complex villains — translation: those who were much more interesting than their heroic counterparts.
The Hulk Problem: Lou Ferrigno on Marvel's Struggles to Bring the Hero to Screen: Prior to The Avengers, Hollywood couldn't quite hit the Hulk hard enough to turn him into a hit. That makes the original Hulk, Lou Ferrigno, angry. You'll like him when he's angry. Read his chat with Matt Patches.
10 'Community' Episodes That Couldn't Exist Without Dan Harmon: Following Community's Season 4 renewal, chatter began circulating that beloved creator Dan Harmon would not return to the series. Weeks before that proved to be true — the showrunner was replaced by David Guarascio and Moses Port — Michael Arbeiter mapped out 10 episodes of the NBC series that wouldn't exist without Harmon. Read it and weep. Really. 'Girls': A Show for Guys?: In the Spring, HBO's Girls premiered to less fanfare than chatter. Did Girls represent the new wave of comedy, or was it simply a narrow, whitewashed representation of youthful immaturity? Whatever it was, Michael Arbeiter explains why guys dig Girls. 'Brave' and the Princess Problem, Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Pixar's latest, Brave also proved to be its most divisive. Was the film a refreshing departure from Disney past — centering on a spunky heroine with no eyes on marriage — or another example of the studio's inability to break from princess culture? Kelly Schremph talks to Women in Film and others about Brave's princess problem. 'Brave's Girl Power Problem: Empowering Girls at the Expense of Boys?: And, unfortunately, as Michelle Lee points out, Bravehad a boy problem too. Notes on Nora Ephron: In 2012, we lost pop culture greats like Andy Griffith, Dick Clark, and Larry Hagman. And then there was Nora Ephron, a woman that meant as much to pop culture as pop culture meant to her. Alicia Lutes' tribute to the late screenwriter is as touching as a moment atop the Empire State Building. Joe Manganiello Hints at a 'Magic Mike' Prequel: No butts (heh) about it, as soon as Magic Mike hit theaters, we were as drawn to the Xquisite club as Mike was to tables. So imagine how pumped we were when Michael Rothman talks to Joe Manganielloand discovered a prequel could be in the works. Magical! 'Spider-Man' Fandom: Why a Reboot Was the Only Answer: Matt Patches explored why, just 10 years after the original Spider-Mantrilogy debuted, there was little fanfare surrounding the latest reboot and why, still, pop culture demanded the sequel. 'Spider-Man' Star Emma Stone Knows You Turn Her Into GIFs: Spider-Man star Emma Stoneis aware of her place in GIF culture, and tells Hollywood.com and the Internet, "Don't let me become a GIF." In response, of course, the Internet turns Stone's interview with Hollywood.com into a GIF. 'Amazing Spider-Man': How Scientific Was the Science?: Could someone replicate lizards' regenerative properties to regrow limbs? Would any company be interested in creating web technology? And could Peter Parker really order scientific liquid on Amazon? University of Minnesota and superhero science expert Dr. Jim Kakalios weighs in! Will People Head to the Theater for 'Dark Knight Rises'?: In the early morning hours of July 20, a shooter named James Holmes entered an Aurora, Colo. theater during a midnight screening of Dark Knight Risesand opened fire, killing 12 and injuring dozens more. Talking to theatergoers and theater workers, Matt Patches explores trepidation surrounding seeing the film following the tragedy. Midnight Movie Screening Culture: What Happens Now?: Following the Dark Knight Risestragedy, questions lingered regarding midnight movie culture: Would theatergoers still be allowed to wear costumes? Will theaters implement more security? Marc Snetiker talks to security experts and audience members about what might change about the cult event. Seeing 'The Dark Knight Rises' Before and After the Tragedy: Marc Snetiker, who attended a midnight screening prior to learning about the tragedy, admits his experience seeing the film was far more carefree than those who purchased tickets after. Aly Semigran and Michael Arbeiter, on the other hand, describe the tension and sadness surrounding each screening of the film following the tragedy. Why Are We So Skeptical of Celebrity Couples?: In late July, Kristen Stewart took a bite out of Twihards' hearts when she publicly admitted to cheating on boyfriend and co-star Robert Pattinson with married Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders. The dramatic apology ("I love him, I love him, I'm so sorry") launched talk over whether Stewart's relationship with Pattinson was ever real in the first place, piling on similar chatter that arose when Katie Holmes and Tom Cruisedivorced. Here, Kate Ward talks to experts about why our cynical society is unable to separate truth from fiction. Kristen Stewart and the New World of Internet Hatred: Brian Moylan sympathizes with Stewart, a young actress that entered a gray moral zone (like many her age) during the harsh age of the Internet. The Three-Breasted Alien in 'Total Recall' and Other Pop Culture Twos Gone Awry: We love Total Recall's three-breasted woman — both original and rebooted. What we don't love is these pop culture trios gone awry. Walk away, Game of Thrones' three-eyed Raven, the strawberry in Neapolitan ice cream, and the wise man who gave myrrh. Aly Semigran explains why you're all not wanted. 'Breaking Bad' Cast Connections: 'Total Recall' and Other Common Bonds — INFOGRAPHIC: Bryan Cranston starred in the Total Recall reboot, while Dean Norris starred in the original 1990 movie. But you'd be surprised to see how else the Breaking Badcast is connected. Michael Arbeiter shows us the six degrees here, bitch! The Many (Unchanging) Faces of Edward Norton: One of these things is just like the other. In fact, all of these things are just like the other. Bic's Slimmer, Sparklier Pens 'Just For Her' Hit the Market: Bic's sparkly, slim pens "Just For Her"?! Abbey Stone writes about how the sexist line is just not write. (Heh.)'Fifty Shades of Grey': What do Authors and BDSM Experts Think?Your aunt (disturbingly) loves E.L. James' break-out BDSM hit. But what do erotica novelists and BDSM experts think about the digestible — but poorly written — series? Read here to find out what Aly Semigran learned — or just go eat your breakfast. 'Breaking Bad': An Ode to Mike: Michael Arbeiter's salute to Breaking Bad's seemingly immortal Mike Ehrmentraut, a man who gave full measure. Dean Norris Teases 'Brutal' 'Breaking Bad' Finale: 'There's Going to Be an 'Oh, S**t' Moment': When Shaunna Murphy spoke to Dean Norris about Breaking Bad's "devastating" finale, the actor teased an "Oh s**t" moment. It turns out he would be right — literally and figuratively. Leanne's Spoiler List: Will Finchel Get Back Together? Lea Michele Answers!: In early September, Hollywood.com brought you the first edition of Leanne's Spoiler List, your home for obsessive TV scoop. In its debut edition, Leanne Aguilera's column teases a Finchel reunion, to the emoticon-fueled squeals of Gleefans. Ryan Seacrest Is All That's Left of the 'American Idol' Brand: Call it Reality Show Roulette — singing competition series' incessant revolving celebrity panels. In September, American Idol finally announced its judging panel, led by Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, and Randy Jackson. Kelsea Stahler talks to a brand marketing expert about how Idol's one remaining (non-Jackson) mainstay, Ryan Seacrest, is vital to the Idolbrand. Seacrest (can never go) out! Cable Dominates Emmy Nominations: This is the Year of the Small, But Mighty: Kelsea Stahler talks to Emmy voters about why small is so big at the 2012 Emmys. Turns out (small) size might matter after all. Are Some Shows Gaming the Emmys?: American Horror Story for Best Miniseries? Ashley Judd for Best Actress in a Miniseries for Missing? Brian Moylan consults the Academy of Television of Arts and Sciences, Connie Britton, and Missing's executive producer about how they're still playing by Emmys' rules. 'Modern Family' Spell Won't Be Broken Anytime Soon. And That's Okay.: "Who would have thought Modern Familywould win the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series?" said no one. The ABC comedy, which won the highest honor for the third year in a row, earned scorn from some hoping for a change. But Kelsea Stahler explains why the trend will only continue. 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo' For a Second Season: Internet Implodes: This summer, a ball of sketti-smeared energy named Honey Boo Boo bursted into our lives and created one of the the more vicious debates in pop culture. Was the series exploiting poor Alana and her poor family? Or was the series a playful documentary of a loving and accepting family? Either way, the debate will continue into Season 2, as Alicia Lutes discovered upon the renewal's announcement. 8 Things More Offensive Than Victoria's Secret's Sexy Little Geisha: Michelle Lee wonders whether the lingerie company really did cross the line with their ridiculous Sexy Little Geisha garb. Instead, she offers up eight other racially insensitive characters and things in pop culture to direct your anger at. (Ahem, 2 Broke Girls' Han Lee.) Facebook and Chairs: What Other Objects Is It Like? — VIDEO: According to Facebook's first ad campaign, chairs are like Facebook. And so are doorbells, airplanes, basketball, bagged lunches, Ron Swanson's mustache, and participating Applebee's locations. (Okay, we made those last three up.) Why We Can't Peg President Obama's Pop Culture Persona: President Clinton was the womanizer, President Bush was the doltish goof, and even Gerald Ford had a distinct (if inaccurate) pop culture persona. President Obama, however, proved to be much harder to peg for comedians. Kelsea Stahler talks to Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele and other comedy insiders about why Obama will never be labeled by Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, and others. Shh! We Have Obama and Romney's Secret Notes from the Debate: Not really, but we wish these were real. Are These Quotes from a Presidential Debate or 'Real Housewives' Reunion?: You'll be surprised how often the line blurs. Take Brian Moylan's quiz! Smear Ads 2012: Stop Liking Ryan Gosling — VIDEO: Did you know Ryan Gosling is fueling one of the worst wars in the world? His words, not ours. See our smear ad (paid for by your boyfriend). Love By Numbers: The Big 'Bachelor' Breakup Barometer: In July, we were surprised when Bachelorette's Emily Maynard chose Jef Holm over Arie Luyendyk. And, in October, we weren't surprised when Maynard and Holm became the latest couple in the Bachelor franchise to part ways. Just what is the mean length of Bachelorrelationships? Alicia Lutes does the math! Boy Meets World Halloween Episode Oral History: Matt Patches assembles Boy Meets World's cast and crew to talk about the series' memorable and unsettling 1998 Halloween episode, "And Then There Was Shawn." As Rider Strongtold Patches about the episode, "I actually thought, 'Well, this will be fun for us, but our audience might hate it.'" But you didn't — so read about how the series and episode came to be and remembered. Why Isn't There a Female Equivalent of James Bond?: Why haven't female heroes grabbed national attention like Bond grabs his girls? Feminist experts tell Kelsea Stahler why sexism may be responsible for a lack of lady spy love. Adele, 'Skyfall,' and the State of the Movie Soundtrack: Aly Semigran talks to experts about the disappearing phenomenon of movie soundtracks in a digital age. Still, some soundtracks will never go out of style or age, quite like Bond himself. Does James Bond Have a Problem with Gays?: We salute Skyfallfor a surprising scene that implies Bond has flirted with homosexuality. Still, the scene hardly makes up for Bond's gay problem. Brian Moylan explains why.
'Twilight: Breaking Dawn — Part 2': Kristen Stewart on Bella as a Feminist Role Model: Is Bella a role model? Many feminists say no. But Kristen Stewart gives a Shaunna Murphy a different — and smart — answer. 10 Crimes Committed By the Characters of 'Twilight': Believe it or not, the beloved characters from the Twilightfranchise have committed fraud, theft, insider trading, and whatever the hell law that imprinting nonsense has to have broken. Matt Patches tells us why the Cullen clan should trade their Forks mansion for a prison cell. How Bad is Guy Fieri's Restaurant? The People Speak: Following Pete Wells' harsh New York Times review of the Food Network personality's Guy's American Kitchen, the intrepid Abbey Stone and Kelsea Stahler went express to Flavor Town and learned diner's reactions were surprisingly positive — even if Hollywood.com was saddened to learn the restaurant took their blue watermelon margarita off the menu following Wells' complaints.Taylor Swift Rumor Mill: Jake Gyllenhaal and Harry Styles Are Her Latest VictimsAbbey Stone on why Taylor Swift's game is getting old. Continue to be coy about your relationships, Taylor, and we'll never, ever, ever get back together. 'iCarly': The Best Sitcom Since 'Arrested Development': Michelle Lee has a point, even if that headline made you blue yourself. Pop Culture Dioramas: Art Inspired by 'Avengers,' 'Magic Mike,' and More: Pop culture art projects worthy of As, Fs, and WTFs!
Share your fondest memories of 2012's year in pop culture below! [Image Credit: Warner Bros.]
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For every M*A*S*H, there are three That '70s Shows. A general rule to live by, yes, but it takes particular relevance in the wake of Chevy Chase's announcement that he will be departing from NBC's cult phenomenon Community. The news broke last Wednesday that Chase would be departing from his position on the show, effective immediately. Considering how much of the upcoming fourth season has already been filmed, this will only leave viewers with one or two episodes devoid of Chase. However, if the show does get picked up for a fifth turn, we will be seeing Greendale without Pierce Hawthorne. Since the Season 4 finale has already been filmed, Pierce's exit will have to be written into the beginning of the fifth year, unless they just plan on ignoring it.
And so, we're called to revisit the maxim of M*A*S*H vs. That '70s Show. The iconic Korean War black comedy is notable for having lost a handful of its original players along the course of its 11-year run (Trapper, Burns, Radar, Lt. Blake) filling the gaps with aplomb. The 1970s sendup, however, lost the likes of stars Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher before its final season, tumbling in quality with desperate attempts to keep the show up and kicking. In this respect, That '70s Show has a great deal more peers than M*A*S*H, which can really only call the likes of Cheers its company. Sitcoms rarely fare well following the loss of major characters — look at the pitiful later years of greats like Happy Days and Laverne &amp; Shirley; it's almost never done well. Of course, Community is savvy to the nuts and bolts of the television formula. It might well offer a satirical and analytical take on the ejection of one of its cast members. But following however this plays out, we'll be back into the swing of the group's day-to-day, only without one of the seven severely flawed figures to whose journeys we have adhered since the pilot.
PHOTOS: 19 Most Famous TV Exits Granted, Pierce might be an easy character of which to let go for many. Ever since Pierce's "evil breakout" in the stellar Season 2 episode "Advanced Dungeons &amp; Dragons," Internet message boards have been swarmed with hatred for the insecure, often malicious figure. As time went on, Pierce got worse — his dishonesty, manipulation, and bigotry were amped up systematically, bolstering the hate of many a Community fan. A good portion of the viewing base, however, remained intrigued by Pierce, understanding that his flaws were what made him a captivating and complex character. But even those who stayed true to Pierce were likely to side against Chevy once the behind-the-scenes controversies began: Chase's badmouthing of the show and of creator Dan Harmon (to which Harmon himself retaliated) contributed to the increasing opposition of the actor, and pushed many to believe the show might be better off without him altogether. And now, the anti-Chase camp gets its wish. Chevy will be bidding farewell to Community, and Pierce to Greendale. But the remaining Pierce apologists will feel this is a burn. Yes, Chase might have evoked some problems offscreen, and yes, Pierce might not have been an ideal citizen or friend. But his character was an important component to the entity formed, invariably, by the seven college students who banded together when the world gave them no place else to turn. The show is about the union of these flawed, lost souls — it's about each one of their journeys toward self-betterment. It is about, not to be hokey, the very idea of a community: an organism that can only exist when others unite to form it. When Pierce steps out of the group for whatever assortment of episodes we'll see following Chase's leave, the community will cease to be. Yes, the remaining group members will stay in tact, but the very idea that this unlikely community was untenable — the idea on which the show was founded — would be forever marred. But all that is said and done: Pierce is leaving, and we'll have to deal with that. So, if the show does get a Season 5, its arrival will be predated by this question: how will they write him out? Communityis notoriously dark, but would killing off a major character really fall in its jurisdiction? Could setting Pierce to rest in a dramatic Season 5 premiere be the best way to remove him without malice, allowing all of the other six group members to grieve and embrace their love and appreciation for their tortured friend?
PHOTOS: TV's Most Moving Deaths If the show goes about the removal of Pierce otherwise, it might make for awkward storytelling. The, "Well, he's already gone!" without so much as a proper goodbye (as said above, the Season 4 finale has already been filmed, complete with Chase) could translate quite clumsily. "Well, Pierce just set sail on his yacht for Andorra!", "Well, Pierce's wedding to that Tuvaluan princess sure was great!", "Well, nobody remembers where Pierce is... I hope he finds his way back soon!" Of course, we have faith that Communitywould handle the affair more delicately and intelligently than any of these, but concerns still stand. A Community without Pierce will be incomplete, plain and simple. The very idea of fissures in the group detracts from the greater message of the program: these people are, and are meant to be, together. They're a family, a support group, a community. In the words of a wise young girl, "If one piece busts, the whole thing will get busted." It's only a matter of time before this is realized by fans and producers alike. [Photo Credit: NBC] More: Chevy Chase Dropping Out of Community
Chevy Chase Allegedly Uses Racial Slur On Community Set — REPORT Community Cast Spoofs Season 4's Delayed Debut on 'Troy &amp; Abed In the Morning' — Video You Might Also Like: Jennifer Lawrence Bikinis in Hawaii: Her 15 Sexiest Pics
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On March 31, Community fans experienced a communal panic attack when a story hit about series creator Dan Harmon's and star Chevy Chase's allegedly explosive feud. After an array of contentious behavior by both parties, Harmon is finally taking steps to mend this trauma — and to help his beloved series' fans rest a bit more easily: the creator/show runner has published an apology on his Tumblr.
The fight began after Chase walked off set during taping of an episode; Harmon responded by insulting Chase in front of the cast and crew and Chase's wife and daughter, which provoked an angry voicemail by Chase — which Harmon publicized at a comedy show at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood. The recording eventually reached the Internet, inspiring some interviews with Chase that suggested he might not return to Community if it gets a fourth season. Thus: widespread paranoia and depression on behalf of the Community-addicted populace.
But this is the first piece of promising news in the development. Last night, April 3, Harmon took to his Tumblr to an apology and explanation for his behaviors:
"The people that I really want to apologize to are the fans of the show. If you want to know what’s on my mind that I consider worth the attention of five million people, that’s the place to look, Thursdays at 8 on TV. Those are the stories and the jokes and observations about life and personal confessions that I intend for that large a venue."
There is also a monthly show I do in the back of a comic book store in Los Angeles in which I say things that I intend for 150 people to hear ... It was in that venue, months ago, that I made the horrible, childish, self-obsessed, unaware, naive and unprofessional decision to play someone’s voicemail to me ... I was thinking about myself and I was thinking about making people laugh. I was airing my dirty laundry for a chuckle ... That was a dumb, unclassy, inconsiderate move on my part. I’m very sorry it’s reflecting poorly on the show."
You can read the complete statement on Harmon's Tumblr. Considering the fact that Harmon's apologies are not specifically directed at Chase, fans might wonder if the actor will consider this enough of an effort to make amends with his show runner. Either way, it's a step in the right direction — hopefully, both (historically difficult) men will be able to settle their differences and continue making television's best sitcom for, as Harmon pledges, "six seasons and a movie."
Community airs Thursday nights at 8 PM ET/PT on NBC.
More:
Community Feud: Is Chevy Chase Leaving the Show?
Chevy Chase vs. Community and TV's Other Epic Feuds
Community Recap: Troy and Abed Go to War
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Television's depiction of marriage has changed significantly since The Dick Van Dyke Show's Rob and Laura Petrie ruled the small screen. Since you're reading this article, I'll assume your life is as encompassed by television as mine is, so I won't bother explaining what they were like. But in brief, they got along swimmingly. However, today's TV shows don't exactly afford the same luxuries to their wedded couples. Perhaps it's allegorical. Maybe it's a heightened sophistication of art. It could be that we're all just really bitter now. But TV marriages are a lot rockier these days. As such, we've got a few shining (embittered) examples.
Breaking Bad
The Couple in Question: Walt &amp; Skylar
Relationship Status: Separated
What Went Wrong: I may be just grasping at straws here, but I'd say it was the meth. Beyond that, though, Walter White's Achilles heel is his pride. It's what it's what ruined his friendship with his college roommate Elliot; it's what ate him from the inside out when he had to accept a job at a car wash in order to support his family financially; and it's what kept him from telling anyone about his disease or from pursuing treatment. Further than that, it's what is getting him into a deeper hole with his newest employer. But back to his marriage: Walt seems to place his own self-image above even his love for his family. He refused to accept handouts from in-laws Marie and Hank when they would have been a far saner choice to dealing meth, but he needed to be the man. This has kept him at a distance from Skylar since before the events of the series began. However, it was ultimately his involvement in the drug trade (not to mention his countless lies about it) that broke up his marriage. Although, I'd be remiss if I didn't say how much I truly, adamantly and whole-heartedly hate Skylar.
The Couple in Question: Hank and Marie
Relationship Status: Strained
What Is Going Wrong: Ever since Hank was shot (you can also chalk that one up to Walt), things have turned sour in regard to his relationship with Marie. The recuperating Hank is extremely impatient with his wife's attentive nature, her inability to refer to his prized minerals as such ("Ordering another rock?"), and her zealous encouragement. Marie, at last, seems to be allowing Hank to break her—the final moments of "Thirty-Eight Snub," which aired this past Sunday, showed that her patience with the growling, unkind man her husband has been this season is slipping. I can't predict just yet that their marriage will necessarily face any major catastrophes...but it's not as if Vince Gilligan offers us much in the vein of "light drama."
Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Couple in Question: Larry &amp; Cheryl
Relationship Status: Divorced
What Went Wrong: Cheryl David played the impossibly patient Job figure to her husband's endless antics. Devoted boundlessly to their marriage, she even agreed to let Larry have an affair on their tenth wedding anniversary in order to convince him to marry her. So why, after over fifteen years, does their marriage fail? Simply, the same reason it’s difficult to watch more than two episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm in one sitting. From a distance, and in small doses, Larry David is a phenomenon of entertainment. He could even be described as poignant and philosophic. But being married to this individual (and I’m only talking about the character—I reserve none of these presumptions about the man himself, whom I’ve heard is actually quite the gentleman) for fifteen-plus years, as Cheryl was, would be akin to eating sandpaper with every meal.
Weeds
The Couple in Question: Celia &amp; Dean
Relationship Status: Loveless
What Went Wrong: What went right? It is tradition in comedy to have a secondary married couple that can never stop bickering: Fred and Ethyl Mertz (I Love Lucy), Gladys and Abner Kravitz (Green Acres), Stanley and Helen Roper (Three's Company), Frank and Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond); something common among all of these pairs is that it is made evident that, despite their hostility, they truly do love one another. Celia and Dean, it seems, do not. They're vindictive, manipulative, spiteful, unfaithful... The reasons they got married in the first place are hardly decipherable, beyond the assumption of entirely superficial reasons: presumably, Celia married Dean for the financial luxury, and Dean married Celia for the sexual luxury.
The Walking Dead
The Couple in Question: Rick &amp; Lori
Relationship Status: In trouble (although Rick may not know it yet)
What Is Going Wrong: Although the Grimes' marriage is not over yet (and doesn't necessarily promise to ever be), the trouble began when Lori assumed Rick was dead. She fell into the arms of Rick's best friend Shane for comfort, and the two became romantically entangled. Once Rick shows up, however, Lori cut things off with Shane. But clearly, as of the Season One finale, this whole matter is far from put to bed. Shane is not okay with this new situation, and it's clear that Lori might not be entirely happy with it either.
Louie
The Couple in Question: Louie &amp; Louie's unseen ex-wife
Relationship Status: Divorced
What Went Wrong: It is never made clear; so little do we know about Louie's life that we cannot be sure whether his insuperably negative attitude contributed to his divorce, or if it the ex inspired said bitterness. But we know that Louie is not on particularly good terms with her; we know that Louie's sister Gretchen despised her; and we know—because she told us, and him—that Louie's younger daughter prefers her.
The Big C
The Couple in Question: Cathy and Paul
Relationship Status: All patched up
What Went Wrong: After being diagnosed with cancer, Cathy went nuts. She threw Paul out of the house and started burning furniture. Paul, having no idea why his wife was acting this way, took the opportunity to cheat on her with the Rugby Slut (a former schoolmate who likes to sleep with amateur rugby players: a category into which Paul just makes it). Cathy has her own affair with an alluring-accented painter in the form of Idris Elba. Their affairs and separation don't last a second longer than Cathy's secrecy about her disease, however. Once she reveals that she has cancer, Paul immediately forgives her and vows to make up his own misdeeds to her. Since then, he has been obsessively devoted to Cathy, their marriage, and her illness. So, this is one story that actually ends happily! ...Except for the melanoma.
Parks and Recreation
The Couples in Question: Ron &amp; Tammies
Relationship Status: Divorced, three times total (once from Tammy 1, twice from Tammy 2)
What Went Wrong: Ron Swanson has two ex-wives, which, straight from the moustachioed horse's mouth, are "both named Tammy, both bitches." Ron Swanson enjoys a "strong, salt-of-the-earth, self-possessed woman at the top of her field." One could see how this led him to fall for Tammy 2, who is nothing if not empowered. However, she's also a psychopath. She manipulates Ron even after their marriage...although, it seems as though Ron's second divorce with Tammy 2 (after a week-long, if it even reached that, explosion of passion that involved a wedding ceremony, breaking-and-entering, and a vicious affront to Ron's Swanson Pyramid of Greatness-approved haircut) might have cemented the idea in his head that she is unadulterated evil. She does, after all, work for the library. Tammy 1 is an even scarier situation: we have yet to meet her, but the mere mention that she was in the building sent the seemingly fearless sociopath Tammy 2 running for her life. So what went wrong? Ron married the devil incarnate. Three times.
Community
The Couples in Question: Shirley, Chang, Pierce (sevenfold), and the parents of Jeff, Abed, Annie and possibly Troy
Relationship Statuses: All divorced, though Shirley and her husband have rekindled
What Went Wrong: Either Dan Harmon harbors some kind of resentment towards the institution of marriage, or this is some kind of carefully woven and ingenious interconnecting story point that will eventually encompass each of the characters (I assume the latter, as Community always impresses me beyond my wildest expectations). In any event, here are the specifics:
Shirley's ex-ex was unfaithful, so she left him. However, Christians forgive.Chang was unfaithful to his wife (with Shirley...see? Already there's interconnectivity!); the two were already having problems due to a diminished frequency of salsa dancing.Pierce is a bigoted, narcissistic buffoon (who I really hope rejoins the study group in Season 3 after an immaculately ironic coming-of-age arc).Now for the parents...Jeff's dad was a physical an emotionally abusive "two-bit conman" who ran out on the family when Jeff was still young.Abed's father "has an angry energy, but not like angry at America—just angry at [Abed's] mom for leaving him, although she did leave because he was angry, and he is angry because she's American."It's unknown what caused the divorce between Annie's parents. However, from her anecdotal interjections, one can surmise that neither one was a particularly supportive parent, and therefore they were probably both pretty crappy spouses, too.What happened with Troy's parents is ambiguous. He has never explicitly made mention of a divorce, even when Abed and Annie were sharing stories of their own parents splitting in Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas, but he has spoken about his dad having a girlfriend in the present. Tragically, this could mean that his mother has passed, but Troy does sporadically refer to his mother with a tone suggesting that she is still alive. Let's stay optimistic.
These are just scraping the surface; for better or worse, there are plenty of other examples on TV today. Let's hear what you can come up with, so we can all lament and wallow together.

The first and most important thing you should know about Paramount Pictures’ Thor is that it’s not a laughably corny comic book adaptation. Though you might find it hokey to hear a bunch of muscled heroes talk like British royalty while walking around the American Southwest in LARP garb director Kenneth Branagh has condensed vast Marvel mythology to make an accessible straightforward fantasy epic. Like most films of its ilk I’ve got some issues with its internal logic aesthetic and dialogue but the flaws didn’t keep me from having fun with this extra dimensional adventure.
Taking notes from fellow Avenger Iron Man the story begins with an enthralling event that takes place in a remote desert but quickly jumps back in time to tell the prologue which introduces the audience to the shining kingdom of Asgard and its various champions. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) son of Odin is heir to the throne but is an arrogant overeager and ill-tempered rogue whose aggressive antics threaten a shaky truce between his people and the frost giants of Jotunheim one of the universe’s many realms. Odin (played with aristocratic boldness by Anthony Hopkins) enraged by his son’s blatant disregard of his orders to forgo an assault on their enemies after they attempt to reclaim a powerful artifact banishes the boy to a life among the mortals of Earth leaving Asgard defenseless against the treachery of Loki his mischievous “other son” who’s always felt inferior to Thor. Powerless and confused the disgraced Prince finds unlikely allies in a trio of scientists (Natalie Portman Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings) who help him reclaim his former glory and defend our world from total destruction.
Individually the make-up visual effects CGI production design and art direction are all wondrous to behold but when fused together to create larger-than-life set pieces and action sequences the collaborative result is often unharmonious. I’m not knocking the 3D presentation; unlike 2010’s genre counterpart Clash of the Titans the filmmakers had plenty of time to perfect the third dimension and there are only a few moments that make the decision to convert look like it was a bad one. It’s the unavoidable overload of visual trickery that’s to blame for the frost giants’ icy weaponized constructs and other hybrids of the production looking noticeably artificial. Though there’s some imagery to nitpick the same can’t be said of Thor’s thunderous sound design which is amped with enough wattage to power The Avengers’ headquarters for a century.
Chock full of nods to the comics the screenplay is both a strength and weakness for the film. The story is well sequenced giving the audience enough time between action scenes to grasp the characters motivations and the plot but there are tangential narrative threads that disrupt the focus of the film. Chief amongst them is the frost giants’ fore mentioned relic which is given lots of attention in the first act but has little effect on the outcome. In addition I felt that S.H.I.E.L.D. was nearly irrelevant this time around; other than introducing Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye the secret security faction just gets in the way of the movie’s momentum.
While most of the comedy crashes and burns there are a few laughs to be found in the film. Most come from star Hemsworth’s charismatic portrayal of the God of Thunder. He plays up the stranger-in-a-strange-land aspect of the story with his cavalier but charming attitude and by breaking all rules of diner etiquette in a particularly funny scene with the scientists whose respective roles as love interest (Portman) friendly father figure (Skarsgaard) and POV character (Dennings) are ripped right out of a screenwriters handbook.
Though he handles the humorous moments without a problem Hemsworth struggles with some of the more dramatic scenes in the movie; the result of over-acting and too much time spent on the Australian soap opera Home and Away. Luckily he’s surrounded by a stellar supporting cast that fills the void. Most impressive is Tom Hiddleston who gives a truly humanistic performance as the jealous Loki. His arc steeped in Shakespearean tragedy (like Thor’s) drums up genuine sympathy that one rarely has for a comic book movie villain.
My grievances with the technical aspects of the production aside Branagh has succeeded in further exploring the Marvel Universe with a film that works both as a standalone superhero flick and as the next chapter in the story of The Avengers. Thor is very much a comic book film and doesn’t hide from the reputation that its predecessors have given the sub-genre or the tropes that define it. Balanced pretty evenly between “serious” and “silly ” its scope is large enough to please fans well versed in the source material but its tone is light enough to make it a mainstream hit.